Two arrests in mail forward case

Tvm: The Kerala cyber police arrested two people on Sunday for making changes to a mail that showed a mansion with a caption saying that the home belonged to CPI-M State Secretary Pinarayi Vijayan and for circulating them. The arrested include K R Manoj from Kayamkulam who works in Africa as a welding technician and Karthik from Kottayam who is a student doing chartered accountancy, said J Sukumara Pillai, Dy SP Cyber Police Station. The two were arrested under the amended Section 66 A of the IT Act.

Manoj had made additions to the mail, which he received from Dinesh Nair, who is based in Dubai, and forwarded it to several mailing groups. Karthik also made additions in the mail and forwarded it to several people. “According to the amended Sec 66 A of the IT Act, which came into effect on Oct 27 this year, the Cyber Police can register a case against anyone who forwards a mail without verifying the truth of its contents. To register a case to this effect, an FIR has to be there,” said Pillai. This was the first FIR registered after the new amendment came into effect. Last week, Vijayan had written a complaint to the Director General of Police, Jacob Punnoose on being defamed through this malicious mail which was in circulation.